Licorice Wands
by Liebling
Summary: ‘So he counted his last few knuts and bought four licorice wands. One for him, one for the other boy, and two for her. Because she was special.’ Harry, Ron & Hermione friendship fic. Slight Ron/Hermione


Authors Note: Simply odd and long...and undeniably simple  
  
Just a friendship fic about Ron, Harry, and Hermione. I'm not sure if I like this narrative. Slight Ron/Hermione.  
  
~*~  
  
She came into their compartment on a mid September day and she looked so sure of herself just then. Her head was held high and her black boots were scuffed on the bottom. She asked for a toad. And they didn't know where it was supposed to be. How would they know those sort of things? The redhead thought that if he had found one he would have simply kept it, with his rat, of course.  
  
Of course, she couldn't just ask for the toad, she had to also show off her 'brilliance', which was annoying. But what was more annoying was the way she looked at them, as though she was so much better than them.  
  
And she wasn't. Well...not really.  
  
The boys were odd and looked so mismatched together. She decided that she would figure them out soon and that eventually they would become good friends.  
  
Because they were eating licorice wands. And those were her favorite.  
  
*  
  
It was in October when he helped save her from the troll. It was Hollow's Eve, actually. She had been so scared. And he had helped her. The ebony haired boy helped too, of course, but it was expected and so it was not so special.  
  
The club hit the troll in the head and it tumbled to a state of unconsciousness.  
  
Victory. Together.  
  
And he had been so scared just then that he hadn't mentioned that she should have been helping them "take it down." For he understood that hiding under sinks was her only defense. Besides her brains, of course. But he had one of those too.  
  
So they became friends because if she had died from the troll she wouldn't have been able to help them with their homework.  
  
What a tragedy.  
  
*  
  
They annoyed her the rest of the year. With all of their "antics" and sneaky behavior. And she annoyed them too 'have you finished your homework yet? you better get going!' And she went away for Christmas holiday, and they missed her.  
  
But they never would say so.  
  
You simply weren't supposed to miss people like her.  
  
*  
  
The next September they shared a compartment and ate licorice wands. Talked about nothing special. The redhead's little sister sat near them too, and he was very much bothered by her. She elbowed him, the chestnut haired girl and said loudly: "You be nice!"  
  
So he did.  
  
But he still resented it.  
  
The skinny boy with glasses stared out the window, and the girl read a big book, the boy just toyed with a Quidditch figurine.  
  
He was to be famous someday, you know.  
  
*  
  
After the first attack at Hogwarts she was so nervous. She was muggle-born, after all.  
  
The funny thing about her though was that she didn't need reassurance and to be told, 'you'll be fine' or 'we'll protect you.'  
  
She knew she'd be fine.  
  
And she knew they'd protect her.  
  
But she still carried the mirror, for luck, you know.  
  
*  
  
But she was attacked. And the boys were so scared. For who would help them with their homework? Who would glare at them? And who would share her mother's oatmeal cookies with them?  
  
And there was the other thing...why weren't they there to protect her?  
  
Seeing her petrified body scared them both. But she looked so peaceful then with her pale fingers clutching a small piece of parchment...  
  
And then they figured that she hadn't left them alone. She'd left them with paper.  
  
With clues.  
  
And they decided to solve the mystery just then. For her.  
  
*  
  
But she was better at the end. She always would be. "So you figured it out?" She asked calmly. "I knew you would."  
  
And they nodded and told her how happy they were to see her.  
  
And her face lit up, it felt good to be needed.  
  
*  
  
The next year a crazy man by the name of Sirius Black was on the run.  
  
One wanted revenge, one was scared, and one was neither.   
  
For the bad man had killed the one who wanted revenge's parents.  
  
And they were all irate. For that was their friend, and that wasn't right.  
  
They were good people who led good solid lives.  
  
So the girl said with a maddening glimmer in her eyes, "Let the Ministry handle it."  
  
And the boy said, "No."  
  
So she agreed.  
  
Some things were just better dealt with in their own hands.  
  
*  
  
They won the Quidditch Cup that year, and they were both there watching their friend. He was the star of the game, catching the snitch and doing so very well. Her cheeks were crimson and she clapped so loud her hands hurt.  
  
Even if she didn't know what the 'snitch' was and the whole time kept going on about "exams!"  
  
The redhead had leant her his scarf because the cold was biting her.   
  
It was a nice gesture so she took it. It was wool and scarlet and gold.  
  
And it just felt so festive!  
  
*  
  
She walked out of Trelawny's classroom one day.  
  
And they didn't know she had it in her.  
  
She grabbed her book bag and glared.  
  
And then she left.  
  
For she simply wasn't happy and did not feel in the mood to put up with rubbish.  
  
They were proud of her that day.  
  
*  
  
They found Sirius Black and although she was relieved she was a bit annoyed as well. Because she was just sure that he was bad.  
  
He was the charcoal haired boy's Godfather, and he was not a bad man.  
  
And she was slightly jealous anyway, because he seemed like a nice man now. And now he had someone who loved him...but she had loved him and so had the redhead.  
  
And then their teacher was a werewolf, which was odd indeed.  
  
So she shrugged lightly and whispered to the boy with hand me down robes, "odd school eh?"  
  
*  
  
Their Fourth Year. They were getting older although the redhead was just as immature as ever.  
  
A Triwizard tournament was to go on, and the boy with the lightening bolt scar was disappointed. For Quidditch was to be cancelled.  
  
He wasn't supposed to be involved in the tournament. He was supposed to simply watch and cheer others on.  
  
But Fate didn't like that idea.  
  
So his name was called.  
  
And as always (and as will forever be) he rose to the occasion.  
  
*  
  
And a huge row broke out.  
  
The redhead didn't believe the ebony haired boy when he said he didn't put his name in the goblet.  
  
She believed him, he couldn't lie to them, he knew them too well. For everyone knows when you try to lie to someone you know quite well all that comes out is "uh aye...yeah..."  
  
But the row was settled for boys' get over things so very quickly.  
  
And she was happy.  
  
Because they were her boys.  
  
*  
  
She had to find a pretty set of dress robes. And it was just so horribly not her that it annoyed her. But she found one, a pretty pale blue set of dress robes. And she fixed her hair in an elegant knot, and she looked nice.  
  
But she did not look very much like her. Not really.  
  
She met a boy with an off center nose in the hall, he was a champion too.  
  
But at times she'd glance over at the redhead...and wish she were on his arm.  
  
For if this were so she'd be nagging him about homework and he'd dare her to try to drink five tankards of butterbeer. And she'd decline...maybe  
  
*  
  
A Hufflepuff boy died that year.  
  
And it was very sad.  
  
None of them cried in public. But they all cried in secret and all found each other crying in secret. So it was not so very much secret.  
  
But it didn't matter.  
  
Because you were allowed to do things like that in front of your best friends.  
  
*  
  
They met at Grimmauld Place the next year. And there they learned about the 'Order of the Phoenix' and it's occupants.  
  
And they were quite intrigued. They listened to many a conversation by using extendable ears.  
  
The boy with holes in his socks got made prefect and so did the brain. They were happy, especially the redhead. For he was part of a 'higher class' now and he had power.  
  
And it was nice.  
  
They stayed up late every single night, cups of coffee by their side. Speaking of nothing.  
  
Sometimes his Godfather, sometimes Order of the Phoenix and sometimes the moon.  
  
All they had was each other.  
  
And that was enough.  
  
*  
  
An evil lady inhabited Hogwarts that year, her hair was in a tight knot and she wore pink clothes and said 'hem hem.'  
  
And it was not so very pleasant.  
  
The girl was docile, however annoyed and the taller boy was self righteous and loud. And openly so.  
  
The other boy was mad in secret...and out loud, but not to her face. For he was a prefect. And prefects were dignified. When they wanted to be.  
  
It was tiring and awful...and unpleasant...  
  
*  
  
But the worst part was O.W.L.s, for they "mattered" (as the girl preached.) So she began studying straight away, the boys thought it was rubbish.  
  
So she said they were rubbish.  
  
And the boys said "fair enough."  
  
So she sighed. Because if she would have said anything else they would have hit her with her own book.  
  
Maybe.  
  
*  
  
She wore the perfume that the redhead got her. It smelled...different. Of chocolate and mangos.  
  
And it didn't smell particularly good.  
  
But it was from him.  
  
And the other girls always chuckled and asked her, "is it from France?"  
  
So she shook her head and said, "I don't know."  
  
Because it was far more romantic thinking it came from France.  
  
*  
  
As a prefect she and her other prefect friend patrolled the grounds. He was far too easy on people and she was far too tough.  
  
"Listen up," she told him, "you were made to take points away. Take them away."  
  
So he only did it when she was looking.  
  
Otherwise he'd wink at the offenders and say, "be careful around this one-" and point to the girl.  
  
He was known for fairness.  
  
She was not.  
  
*  
  
After the final events of the year they all went up to the Astronomy Tower and looked at the moon while eating licorice wands.  
  
The licorice was tasteless on their dry tongues, so they didn't eat them, they dumped them over the tower.  
  
For his Godfather was dead.  
  
He was dead.  
  
He didn't talk much about it, for he wasn't known for talk. He sat on the bench and said:  
  
"He wasn't supposed to die on me, bloody git."  
  
And he was not at peace.  
  
*  
  
When they returned to school for their sixth year things did not "magically" go over well and work out.  
  
Things were messed up.  
  
And so were they.  
  
They had met during the summer at the Burrow but no one wanted to talk.  
  
So they didn't.  
  
They merely hung around playing pointless games, singing pointless tunes, and eating licorice wands that burned their tongues.  
  
*  
  
One day when they were in Hogsmeade the redhead said:  
  
"I wish I could buy you two some truffles from Honeydukes."  
  
And the girl smiled grimly and grabbed his hand. "I'd rather a licorice wand, myself."  
  
So he counted his last few knuts and bought four licorice wands.  
  
One for him, one for the other boy, and two for her.  
  
Because she was special.  
  
*  
  
The smug blond haired boy was annoying as ever. Speaking of the Seeker's Godfather.  
  
So the Seeker and the Keeper beat him up.  
  
The girl watched on with awe on her face.  
  
And then she jumped on the sugary blond boy's back.  
  
Because no one spoke ill of the dead.  
  
They were victorious and commended only by loads of points being taken away.  
  
Neither cared.  
  
*  
  
War had begun and none feared for their life, no matter how odd that sounded.  
  
For all they had was now, and the war could just wait.  
  
All three decided that if needed to fight...they would fight.  
  
Because that was simply what was expected of them.  
  
And for no other reason.  
  
*  
  
The gangly boy with freckles and the girl began dating too. Amongst the war.  
  
And the ebony haired boy found a lass of his own.  
  
So they were all pleased.  
  
But not together.  
  
*  
  
He kissed her one day in late April, and she kissed back. They were near the lake, both sets of feet in the cold water.  
  
It was a pleasant type of surprise.  
  
Their breath smelled of licorice wands.  
  
And when the kiss was over she smiled and he splashed her in the face.  
  
So she dragged him into the lake with her.  
  
Even with her boots and skirt on.  
  
*  
  
It was their last year, now.  
  
Seventh.  
  
The number was imposing and the war was continuous and it seemed as though there would never be true peace.  
  
For true peace, they had learned, was hard to come by.  
  
They reunited September First and spent their time on Platform 9 and 3/4 discussing what the upcoming year would be like.  
  
But they couldn't think about it much, it hurt their brains.  
  
The brain and the chess player were still together.  
  
For they knew nothing different.  
  
*  
  
Classes were easy.  
  
But the girl still insisted on doing extra work and checking up massive amounts of books from the library.  
  
"You're reading Quidditch Through The Ages?" The redhead inquired.  
  
"Yes," she said, "I want to understand it for you."  
  
But sometimes she still got the snitch and the quaffle mixed up.  
  
And he could never quite forgive her for that.  
  
*  
  
The ebony haired boy was team Quidditch captain. And the freckly boy was still Keeper.  
  
But that was okay, because he had gotten better.  
  
She saw every game and cheered on her boys.   
  
The redhead's scarf tied 'round her neck.  
  
The wool was unraveling but it was still as comfortable as ever.  
  
They won the Quidditch cup, for the last year and tears were all around.  
  
That night they passed around a bottle of vodka and each took a few sips.  
  
Not because it was good...but because it was custom.  
  
*  
  
It was the last day of school and all was quiet. Even the birds.  
  
The peace and quiet scared them for they were not so used to it. The girl with almond shaped eyes grabbed the two boys' hands and led them up to the Astronomy Tower.  
  
They looked up at the light blue sky and puffy clouds.  
  
And she took something out from her skirt pocket.  
  
Three licorice wands.  
  
The girl broke down then, and they all followed suit. But they were on the Astronomy Tower and no one could see them anyway.  
  
They sat with their knees crossed and had fake fights with their flimsy licorice wands.  
  
And when they tired of that.  
  
They ate them.  
  
Their hands tightly wound together.  
  
* 


End file.
